Fair Maiden's Cathedral
Located in Fort Fair Maiden, the Fair Maiden's Cathedral is one of the largest structures in the city, and well-maintained by the generous application of divine magic over the years. Rather than being dedicated to a specific deity, the Fair Maiden's Cathedral is a little unusual in that it venerates the entire pantheon of good deities, great and small, as well as many neutral but generally-friendly deities like Abadar. The cathedral often rents out specific sections of the church for weekly, monthly, or annual events held by different faiths. Several of its staff work full-time to help avoid scheduling conflicts. For fairness, most otherwise-unresolvable scheduling conflicts are decided by lottery, and all renters know this going in. Layout The cathedral consists of five buildings. The Great Hall is the largest building and consists mainly of a single large chamber with movable pews. It features stained glass windows with general celestial iconography, and has both a priest of some type and several regular staff members in attendance at any given time. Not all churches worship during the day, so the Fair Maiden's Cathedral is never truly quiet. The Hall of the Faithful is a somewhat smaller building off to the side that has multiple chambers of different sizes and designs, with many doors to avoid crowding hallways. It has two floors, with excellent soundproofing between the rooms. The Vaults are operated entirely by the Church of Abadar. These include sections for general church supplies (banners, religious icons, tools for ceremonies, etc.), as well as literal vaults where churches can store their donations. These vaults are insured by the Abadarites, who take their god's dominion over banking seriously. The Maker's Hall consists of multiple crafting stations, and is particularly popular among churches dedicated to gods of crafts and the arts. They often produce or repair items used by the other churches. The Dorms are where most of the staff who live on-site reside. These trend towards simple apartments, although residents are free to decorate them. However, it's said there might be tunnels beneath the cathedral. Who knows who (or what) might be down there...? Spellcasting and Other Services The Fair Maiden's Cathedral sells a wide variety of spellcasting services, including healing and recovery up to the current maximum in Fort Fair Maiden (normally ~7th level). While spells that require expensive material components are normally paid-only, the numerous clerics and other personnel often provide free basic healing for poor or needy individuals. The cathedral has a longstanding agreement with the Church of Abadar, which processes financial transactions and manages accounts on behalf of the cathedral. The Church of Abadar also supplies various rare components required for certain spellcasting needs, ensuring an ample supply is available. Specific faiths may sell spells that are not available to the general population. Aside from spellcasting on-site, the Cathedral sometimes sends its staff out on missions to support other good-aligned folk. This is less missionary work and more an ongoing commitment to advancing the cause and beliefs of good. History The Fair Maiden's Cathedral is one of the older buildings in Fort Fair Maiden. It started as a small stone church shaped out of stone for the earliest settlers, but grew over time into one of the largest and most notable locations in the area. This is thanks in no small part to the church's habit of accepting services in lieu of direct payment, especially from smaller or poorer faiths that would otherwise have a hard time renting the place. Multiple years of regular improvements (supported by an existing architecture plan to prevent weirdness) can make a fairly sizable facility. Teachings As the cathedral venerates the entire pantheon of good, plus a few neutral deities who broadly get along with good deities, it has no specific teachings, requirements, or expectations for visitors or staff. However, guests are expected to be polite and courteous to each other, and those who start conflicts are firmly escorted off the church grounds. Church Staff The cathedral has a full-time staff of about three hundred non-denominational workers, including the Overseer and many workers who help to maintain the place, organize inventories for different churches, and guard the facilities. In any given week, several hundred volunteers or members from churches renting parts of the cathedral are also likely to show up. About 10% of the staff live within the cathedral itself; the rest live throughout the city, typically close by. Most staff members have levels in divine spellcasting classes, either as clerics or spherecasters with a divine casting tradition. However, this is not required, and people are accepted from almost all non-evil backgrounds as long as they have a genuine commitment to the church. Notable staff members include: * Azeria Eiju (PC - Rednal) (Kitsune Nun) Category:Location Category:Locations Category:Places